But what if?
by Destinystruth
Summary: Sequel to a Twist in Fate, this series of one-shots (and occasionally cohesive chapters) explores what might have happened if Kaylie had decided to stay in the Yu-Gi-Oh universe. How does she handle the fear that she made the wrong choice? And what will she do when the Pharaoh inevitably must return home? OC/Yami Yugi pairing.
1. Settling In

(Author's Note: Hey y'all! Thanks so much for checking out this alternate universe wherein Kaylie decides to stay in the Yu-Gi-Oh universe. As mentioned before, this is sort of a sequel to A Twist in Fate, so if you haven't read that, this won't make any sense. Make sure to check that out. Also, I'll take suggestions on different situations that could arise for our characters, if anyone has ideas. Y'all are awesome, and I've enjoyed writing these stories immensely!)

* * *

Kaylie stepped back, wiping her hand across her forehead. It was a rather hot summer day, and despite having every window in her bedroom open, the paint fumes from the fresh paint on her walls were making her dizzy.

"Hey! That looks really good!" Mokuba Kaiba peeked his head around the door admiring her handiwork. Where there had once been plain, white walls, there was now a beautiful fantasy scene that ran around the room. On one wall, a mighty dragon perched on top of a castle in the distance, while nearby fairies were frozen over the quick, even strokes that created grass near the bottom of the wall. A giant stone wall surrounded the window, and jumped to the next wall to cover the door as well, ivy creeping along the painted cracks in the stone. Flowers bloomed around the room, adding a splash of color to the landscape. The final wall was graced with a giant, white unicorn that stared off to the side, looking like it could take off at any minute.

"I can't believe it's finally done..." Kaylie sank to the floor, sighing. Her entire body was covered in paint. Even her face had splotches of color, though how it got there she would never know. "My parents told me I could paint a mural in my room in our new house if I took the smallest bedroom... Now I not only have my mural, but the bedroom isn't too bad."

She glanced around the large room, devoid of any furniture. It had been a couple days since Dartz had been defeated and they had returned to Japan. True to his word, Kaiba had actually agreed to let Kaylie stay with them, which was rather fortunate. No one had the resources to get her the proper identification papers like Kaiba did. Not that he'd been around to help a whole lot. That honor had fallen on his younger brother, who was eager to arrange anything Kaylie wanted.

Almost too eager.

And that was about the story of her life. Ever since she had chosen to stay, all of her new friends had done their best to make sure she felt welcome, and like it was the right choice, and help her feel at home. She knew they meant well, but it was almost stifling. Sometimes she just wanted to yell at all of them to give her time to adjust and figure things out. Things didn't have to be exactly the way they would have been had she returned home. If that's what she had wanted, that is the choice she would have made.

But then again, she wasn't sure this was what she wanted. She thought back to a couple days earlier, standing on the shore of the small island with the Pharaoh and his friends staring at her as she weighed her options.

* * *

S _he had been so set on returning home. Even the Pharaoh's pleading hadn't convinced her to stay... but now, seeing his friends- no, her friends - standing there and cheering that they had survived... her mind wasn't set anymore._

 _"Hey Yugi!" Mokuba called from the chopper. "And Kaylie!" He paused, his smile faltering as he took in the portal and Mystical Elf. "What's going on?"_

 _"Oh great... now what?" Kaiba groaned, even though Kaylie swore she caught the hint of a smile._

 _"Kaylie's going home..." Yugi explained. "Back to her world..."_

 _"Home!?" Mokuba jumped down, and raced over. "You don't have to go! You can stay here! Y-you could live with me and Seto!" He turned to look at his brother with pleading eyes._

 _Kaiba rolled his own, and heaved a sigh, "Only if she gave up her Blue-Eyes card..."_

 _"Seto!" Mokuba growled._

 _"I'm kidding... I guess it would be nice to have someone else around..." Kaiba grunted._

 _"Like an older sister!" Mokuba cheered._

 _Kaylie bit her lip. Her family had always been there for her, but even that hadn't stopped her from deciding to kill herself before this mess happened. She loved them, but it was because of that love that she had wanted to leave their lives forever. She was tired of being a burden to them. But this way... this way was much easier. She could continue to live, but she wouldn't be imposing on them. Zac, her best friend back home, would tell them the truth. They'd be happy knowing she was safe, and that she loved them._

 _The things weighed heavy on her mind, but she was running out of time. Even now, she could see Mystical Elf straining to keep the portal open. She shook her head, tears squeezing out of her eyes. Finally, she looked up at the Pharaoh and sighed, "I once imagined my family's life without me, and I was okay with that... And I know what your lives will be without me... and I'm okay with that too..."_

 _"But I can't imagine it..." The Pharaoh frowned. "You might know what happens, but we don't have to. You are welcome to stay, and we'll figure it out."_

 _Kaylie took a deep breath, "Okay."_

 _"Okay?" Mokuba asked, almost too excited._

 _"Okay..." Kaylie confirmed. "This is the path life set me on, and I was ready to leave my family before... They'll be okay... It's time for me to spread my wings, and make my own life for myself."_

 _Even as she said it, and Mystical Elf shut the portal and bid her farewell, she couldn't seem to swallow the knot in her throat. Yugi and the gang were thrilled, and she allowed herself to get caught up in the excitement... but flying back to Japan, she felt that familiar weight in her stomach, and mentioned something about being motion sick before disappearing into the bathroom to be alone._

* * *

"No regrets..." she mumbled softly under her breath. What was done was done.

"I can't wait for Seto to see," Mokuba chattered on and on, unaware of Kaylie's inward struggle. She numbly followed him through the massive house to the kitchen to get a drink, all the while the young teen talked about other plans they had to get her all settled in. She'd need a driver's license and identification papers. The nearby schools weren't bad, but maybe an online college would be better for her chosen course of study. Asian theatre was quite different from Western theatre, after all.

"Mokuba, I think I'd like to take a break from painting and go shopping. As much as I appreciate washing this outfit over and over, I think I need some new clothes..." Kaylie looked at the ground, somewhat embarrassed. The Kaiba brothers had supplied her with everything she needed, via the money she had been given shortly upon arriving in this world. Even though it had been a gift, she felt bad, and swore secretly that she would pay every penny back.

"That's a great idea. You've been up there painting all week..." And then Mokuba proceeded to list off every single shopping center in the area, and the types of clothes that could be found. Kaylie had to carefully push away her annoyance, and take a second to appreciate Mokuba's enthusiasm... but she hadn't been alone, in silence, since they landed in Japan.

Maybe it was better that way though.

Finding clothes that suited her taste was difficult, but not impossible. Plus, Mokuba had been plenty ready to help out. After spending the rest of the day, she finally had a wardrobe that would get her through a week without needing to wash anything. That was just about all she needed.

That evening, she sank down into the pillows in the spare room she was using until hers was complete. The silence sunk in, and she quickly found herself missing Mokuba's chatter.

 _Did I make the right choice?_

She turned her head away from the window, a tear escaping its prison and leaving its trace on her pillow. She took a deep, shudders breath, and closed her eyes.

It didn't matter. She couldn't take it back now. All she could do was do her best to move forward, and continue trying to do the right thing. In the end, it was the intent of her heart that mattered, and she wanted to be happy.

Did that make her selfish? Maybe...

But right now, she just wanted to settle in, and figure things out. Just take it one step at a time... and, as it usually went, she was sure that when she woke up in the morning with a new day, she would feel much better.


	2. On the Job

She had waitressed before. In fact, it was the only job experience she even had. Granted, being a hostess at an Assisted Living Center for old folks with restaurant style dining was probably vastly different from serving people in a real restaurant... Especially one as fancy as this... But she was always up for a challenge.

Kaylie pushed the door open, walked inside, and emerged with an application in hand. She read over the questions on it over and over again before she finally filled it out, discouraged by her lack of experience. She almost didn't bother taking it back the next day...

As she stared at the work uniform, she wished she hadn't. She had forgotten how silly anime waitress outfits could be, and this one was no exception. Though the frilly black skirt combined with a white button up and bow tie reminded her a lot of her previous waitressing outfit, she felt fairly silly trying it on. It was much more frilly than anything she'd ever worn. It was only the reminder that she needed to be self sufficient that kept her from pulling it off and returning it with profuse apologies.

Her first day was a disaster. She had never given it much thought, but as she kept coming back into the kitchen and receiving glares from the cook and giggles from her coworkers, she realized something was wrong. When she finally asked her first day trainer, Kie, he looked at her incredulously.

"You really have no idea why he's so mad at you?"

"No..." she shook her head. "Have I done something to upset him?"

"Here..." he showed her one of the menus. "What does that say?"

"Steak?" She said questioningly.

"And what does this say?" he pulled one of her tickets out of his pocket.

"Steak," she stated, wondering why he had one of her tickets in his pocket.

"So what's the difference between the two?"

"Uh..." her heart was pounding with anxiety. "I-I don't know..."

Her coworker shook his head laughing, "What a prank you're pulling. This tops all the pranks I've seen in our kitchen, but I thought you'd be timid and shy before breaking into the group like this. The chef is getting pretty frustrated though, so if you don't want to be written up to the manager, I'd write your tickets in Japanese from now on."

"I don't know how to write in Japanese," she frowned, feeling confused. The menu was in English, so why write in Japanese.

"You literally just read the menu to me," he raised an eyebrow.

"So?" She growled, getting very frustrated. If this was some kind of joke...

"So you read Japanese but don't write it?" He looked amused.

Kaylie was stunned, "The menu is in Japanese?"

The idea that somehow, in her world hopping, everything she said and everything she read was being translated had never crossed her mind. Apparently it didn't work the opposite way, however. Anything she wrote remained plainly in English.

"Cranberry sprinkles..." she mumbled to herself before pleading with her coworker, "I know it seems strange, but I really can't write the symbols."

"Management thought it was strange that you turned in an application written in English," he mused. "But they figured your language skill would be helpful when dealing with various powerful figures from around the world. We are, after all, a five star restaurant!" Her coworker mimicked their supervisor, causing her to giggle.

"He just wants to keep us to the highest standards," she chided. "You know... for the powerful figures."

"Speaking of which," he grinned at her and pointed. "There's a group right now. And since they're American, guess it's your table to take."

Kaylie shrugged and rolled her eyes. Big tables were hard because orders were long, and often by the end, someone had changed their mind. Bringing the food out would be difficult too, and cleanup... well... cleanup was awful. She didn't mind though. She was being paid, and since she was being trained, privy to extra help from her coworkers. She was completely okay with it... until she turned to see who it was.

Kaiba had no idea she had a job. They hadn't even really spoken since returning to Japan. He was too busy. She hadn't even told Mokuba though, wanting to wait and make sure her first day went okay. Thus, it was hardly surprising to her when Kaiba's face filled with shock as their eyes met. Her face burned red, and she barely had time to duck in the kitchen with her trainer to keep from hyperventilating.

"He must be here for a business lunch..." she gasped.

"He usually comes here at least once a week," her coworker explained, grinning. "And he likes things very particular, so don't mess up. I'm right behind ya."

"Yeah, I'll bet," she muttered to herself, straightening her waitress getup, and preparing to face the table.

She took even steps, careful not to trip over anything. Even as she was approaching the table, she could feel every other worker with their eyes trained on her. Apparently this was the ultimate first day test.

"Good afternoon," Kaylie smiled. "Are you gentlemen ready to order?"

"Ah!" One man smiled. "She speaks English! You certainly did get the finest waiter for us Mr. Kaiba."

"We'll see if she's fit to serve us by the end of the meal," Kaiba's smile sent fear shooting into her heart. He wouldn't dare...

"Short little thing," another man commented. "In America, we don't allow kids to work until their eighteen..."

Kaylie grit her teeth, and put on her best smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Kaiba was enjoying every second of the exchange, "That's very interesting sir. Do you know what you'd like to drink?

Each member of the table ordered a drink, and she came to Kaiba last, who looked her in the eye and smirked, "Which wine would you say has the best taste?"

It was everything she could do to keep her temper under control. Why was he being like this? He knew that she didn't drink alcohol. Luckily, it was one of the other men that came to her rescue.

"Come now Sir. You can hardly expect a child such as herself to know which wine tastes the best. Young tastebuds are so unaccustomed to taste, and she's probably never tried it."

"That is correct, sir," she smiled, her blood still boiling beneath the facade. "But my coworker here can be of assistance." She gestured to Kie, who was not far off, watching her performance.

"That won't be necessary," Kaiba's devilish grin made her stomach twist into knots. "I'll just take my usual. I am sure, as the best waitress this facility has to offer, you know what that is..."

Kaylie didn't know what to do. She most certainly did not, but if she admitted it, would he mock her? Or worse, have her fired? Her supervisor had mentioned that they made it a point to memorize their regular customer's usual orders.

"Certainly," she forced out. "I'll be back with your drinks right away."

She gloomily followed her trainer back into the kitchen. On the way, she noticed one of her female coworkers glaring daggers at her. Unable to even force herself to care what she might have done to offend the girl, she merely muttered, "What's her problem?"

"Oh, don't pay any mind to Erika," Kie rolled his eyes, filling up glasses with the proper drink orders. "She usually waitresses for Mr. Kaiba when he is here. She is enamored by him... so she's just a little bitter that you, a newbie, knocked her out of a spot that she had to fight for. I hear she even started studying English so she'd please him even more."

"Oh goody..." Kaylie muttered. "Please tell me you know what Mr. Kaiba likes to drink..."

He let out a hardy laugh, and held up a glass, "I've got your back, Newbie."

"Thank heavens. At least someone does," she was still seething at Kaiba's treatment of her.

Once their trays were full of drinks, Kaylie and her trainer headed out to the table. Still frustrated at Kaiba, and annoyed with Erika, she wasn't as focused on her surroundings. One minute she was smiling and preparing to distribute beverages, and the next, she was on the floor, covered in liquid. She wasn't the only one though...

As she raised her head, her heart sank. Kaiba's mouth was open in shock, liquid dripping down his face and pooling at his feet. The men around the table were also looking on with shocked faces, and the whole room had gone deathly silent.

"Don't apologize, just go back to the kitchen..." she felt Kie pull her to her feet and steer her in that direction before turning to do damage control.

Her feet felt like weights, and she could hear Erika giggling as her ears grew hot. She felt the kitchen door swing shut, and the entire staff was staring at her. She hung her head, ashamed, and approached the restaurant manager's office, ready to turn in her resignation.

* * *

"Seeing as multiple people claim to have seen Erika trip you, we're letting you off with a warning," her supervisor looked at her, his disapproving gaze piercing her soul. "Since we have no actual proof that this is what happened, Erika will not be disciplined. I would advise you to be more alert on the job, Kaylie. And if you begin causing drama, we will let you go. Thank your lucky stars that Mr. Kaiba was in a good mood today. He will not be taking any repercussive action."

She was relieved as Kie led her out of the office, and shut the door behind him. He took a deep breath, then smiled at her, "You did really well today."

"Yeah, I almost got fired, accidentally made enemies of Erika and the chef, and ruined a huge business luncheon," she mumbled. "First day was swell."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," he smiled sympathetically. "What happened wasn't your fault. It was Erika's, and she would have been fired if she weren't the manager's daughter."

"Even better..." Kaylie sighed, then turned to shake Kie's hand. "Well thanks so much for being there for me today, and for doing damage control..."

"Hey, the restaurant business is hard," he grinned. "It's always good to have a friend or two to watch your back."

"Well you definitely made a friend today," she smiled back. "I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

"I've never been more embarrassed in my life!" Kaylie was stretched out on Yugi's bed, his pillow shoved over her face. Yugi and the Pharaoh (who she could still see, despite his absence of a body) looked on, unsure of what to do.

"Well, at least Kaiba didn't march in the kitchen and demand you be fired..." Yugi looked at her sympathetically. "But if you need some more time to prepare to go home, you're more than welcome to stay the night."

Kaylie shook her head, "I have to face it eventually. If I don't show up, he'll probably send someone to track me down."

Yugi chuckled and the Pharaoh nodded in agreement, "Better to get it over with now..."

"Thanks for letting me hide here for a bit," she sat up and jumped off the bed. "I really needed to talk about it with someone..."

"Not a problem!" Yugi smiled. "You've been so distant since we got back. We were worried about you."

"I just need time to settle in and work my life out," Kaylie assured them. "I'll stop by Friday night. We're still watching a movie, right?"

"Of course!" Yugi smiled. "We'll see you then!"

"If I'm not dead..." Kaylie put in, leaving the other two to chuckle as she began the seemingly long trip home.

* * *

Sure enough, Kaiba and Mokuba both looked up from whatever they were doing the moment she walked through the door. Kaylie locked eyes with Kaiba, and all words failed her. The silence was killing her, but she had nothing to say. Luckily, the CEO broke the ice.

"Well you make enemies faster than I do."

Her mouth dropped open, and after a few seconds, Kaiba mentioned he was going to bed and left the room.

"What's he talking about?" Mokuba questioned.

"Don't worry about it..." Kaylie sighed, heading for her room.

As she lie there in the dark, she replayed the day's events in her mind. She was glad Kaiba had seen Erika, and realized it wasn't her fault she tripped... but at the same time, she was still rather angry at him for playing games with her. Either way, she had a job, and despite the difficulties, she had survived her first day.

She was well on her way to her new future.


	3. The Cat-astrophe

The Pharaoh looked at Kaylie, then down at the small creature in her arms, then back at Kaylie. He then turned to look at Yugi, who stood next to him in spirit form. The teenager just shrugged.

"Please? I'm sure Grandpa won't mind. It'll only be until I can convince Kaiba that a pet is a good idea..." Kaylie pleaded. "Just look at her big blue eyes, and how malnourished she is! She's just a bitty little thing!"

The orange and brown calico cat certainly was small, but the Pharaoh had his doubts about her ability to convince the CEO that this was a good idea. "Are you sure that you're up for this kind of responsibility? Cats need care. They need love, and devotion. You have to feed it, and make sure it has a place to use the bathroom, and-"

"I had a cat at home..." her face suddenly fell, and the Pharaoh panicked.

"I uh... uh..."

"I'm sure that even if Kaiba doesn't agree, we could look after Patches," Yugi cut in. "Besides, the Pharaoh loves cats. I think it's an Egyptian thing." He winked at Kaylie, who smiled.

"And Patches really likes you! You're the one she came to when she was hiding in that bush..." she held the small bundle of fur out to the Pharaoh.

"Please tell me that picking up stray animals is not going to become a common thing when we go on walks..." he gently took the cat, supporting its back legs with his hand as it curled up against his chest.

Kaylie beamed, "I will call and let you know what the verdict is. Until then, it's good to know Patches is in good hands."

* * *

And that is how the Pharaoh had landed himself in this situation. All he'd done was go to the store to pick up a few things, and when he got home, Patches was gone. He and Yugi had scoured the house, but there was no sign of the small animal.

"She couldn't have gone far..." Yugi assured him. "Even if she did escape the bedroom, there is no way she got out of the house."

"I just hope we find her before something awful happens..."

"Say Pharaoh," Yugi looked up from the couch he was looking under. "Do you think you had any pets? Back in Egypt, I mean."

The Pharaoh looked thoughtful, "I don't know Yugi... but ancient Egyptians worshipped cats as well as the gods... so perhaps that explains why Patches came out for me, but not Kaylie."

"Let's just hope you can do that again..." Yugi sighed. "Or we're going to have to tell her we lost her pet."

* * *

"Trust me," Mokuba nodded. "Better to ask for forgiveness than permission."

"Why do I have the feeling that someone took that approach with your brother once, and now they are no longer with us?" Kaylie raised an eyebrow.

"It's always worked for me!"

"But you're his brother, Mokuba. I'm just the random girl that you got stuck with because..." she paused. "Why did you agree to let me stay?"

"Well..." Mokuba began listing things off on his fingers. "You brought a new Blue-Eyes White Dragon card into our world, and Seto likes to keep his enemies close."

"Smashing..." Kaylie rolled her eyes with a grin.

"You helped save our company, so of course he feel indebted to you for that."

"Heaven forbid he do something nice out of kindness..." she teased.

"And as much as he tries to hide it, I think he's secretly impressed with how you handle pressure and tough situations. Plus, there are parts of your world that are more technologically advanced than ours, and I think he wants to put your knowledge to use here."

"So, he wants to keep an eye on me to make sure I don't rise up the dueling ranks to dethrone him, he feels begrudgingly indebted to me, and he thinks there's something for him to gain by keeping me around?" Kaylie shook her head. "Oh Kaiba..."

"Seto really does admire your work ethic," Mokuba chuckled. "Don't forget that. He was incredibly shocked to see you got yourself a job. We both just kind of assumed you'd use our money, you know... since you're family now and all."

Kaylie snorted, "My new birth certificate might say I'm a Kaiba, Mokuba... but I don't think it'll ever change your brother's mind about me."

"Our brother," he corrected with a smile.

She shook her head with a laugh, "Well... should we go grab Patches then?"

"Alright!"

* * *

"She'll turn up, don't worry about it," Kaylie smiled at the two identical boys. "Mokuba and I can help look for her."

After almost half an hour of searching, the four came back together in Yugi's bedroom, defeated.

"What if she found a way outside?" Yugi looked worried.

"Well, she was a stray, so I'm sure she can handle herself..." Kaylie answered, her eyes still scanning the room. Suddenly, her face broke out into a grin, and she began to chuckle, "Oh my..."

"What is it?" Mokuba looked at her, confused.

"Look..." she pointed towards a pile of Yugi's childhood duel monster plushies in the corner. There, nearly invisible in all the dolls, was Patches, fast asleep. Yugi and the Pharaoh both twitched slightly, hardly believing what they were seeing.

"She was here the whole time?" Pharaoh shook his head in disbelief.

* * *

Kaiba stared at the cat, then at his brother, then at Kaylie. The anger in his eyes said it all. Kaylie and Mokuba looked at each other, and slowly stood up, excusing themselves for bed. Kaylie reached down to pick Patches up, but the CEO stopped her.

"Leave the cat here."

She didn't argue. She felt like a coward as she merely retreated to her room without the animal that she had tried to save. The poor thing was probably dead now, and it was all her fault.

* * *

Seto looked at the cat, baffled and furious. What made them think that bringing a cat into the house was a good idea? He could already see the fur everywhere, the torn furniture, the constant smell of animal... The cat was staring at him now, its blue eyes lazily half closed.

"What are you looking at?" He growled.

The cat stood up, looked him in the eye one last time, and walked out of the room with an air of indifference and superiority. Kaiba's gaze followed as it left. Finally, after a few moments alone in the room, he followed after the cat.

* * *

Kaylie slowly descended the stairs, ready to apologize, and explain that she would find the cat a different home. As she entered into the study, where Kaiba often spent his time stewing and brewing over his problems, her heart was racing.

"Kaiba, I'm really sorry out this... I can take the cat and find her a new home first thing in the-" she stopped, her jaw dropping open.

"The cat is staying," Kaiba said calmly, stroking his fingers through her fur. The small feline was curled next to him on the couch as he typed away on his laptop.

"I-I uh... but... huh?" Kaylie was stunned.

"Are you going to form a complete sentence? If not, please get out. I have work to do."

"You're letting Patches stay?" She blurted out.

"Her name is Bewd," Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the blonde.

"Bewd?"

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon," he explained.

"But she's a cat!" Kaylie sputtered out.

"Do you want her to stay or not?"

"What kind of name is Bewd!?"

"B.E.W.D. is a mouthful, so I shortened it to Bewd," he said calmly.

"Why are you always ruining my things...?" she cried in mock frustration.

"Well what do you suggest?" He narrowed her eyes. "Because that's her name."

"I mean..." Kaylie paused. Perhaps they could come to a compromise. "What about BD?"

"Beady? Like things you put on a necklace?" Kaiba looked disgusted.

"No, like the letters B and D. Still Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but not quite the mouthful."

"I'll think about it," he turned back to his laptop, ignoring her presence.

"You're the worst..."

* * *

(Author's note: So what should it be guys? Is the cat going to end up being named Bewd, or do you think Kaiba should relent and let them call her BD? Let me know!)


	4. The Past Future

Something was off.

The Pharaoh could tell the second he and Kaylie set out on another walk. It was their routine, every Wednesday. She called it a hump day celebration. A way for them to know they had made it through half the week, and that they only had a few days left til the weekend.

They didn't see much of each other beyond that. Kaylie was working herself to the bone, both at the restaurant and in trying to find a suitable school to continue her education. Yugi, on he other hand, was still a high school student, so of course he had homework and such to do... The Pharaoh couldn't just take over and talk with Kaylie all the time.

Sharing a body was hard.

And tonight he had finally worked through his thoughts and feelings, and had decided to share them with the strange girl who had so suddenly appeared in his life, and given up everything so she could stay. He wanted to ask her how she felt about him, and what the next step was. But even now, looking at her face, he could see that this was the wrong moment for that.

"Is everything alright?" He finally asked, cutting off Kaylie and whatever story she'd been telling.

"I'm fine, why do you ask?" She tilted her head and smiled, but the rising panic in her eyes gave her away.

"You're talking an awful lot..." The Pharaoh pointed out. Even after deciding to stay, Kaylie had been rather reserved. She maintained her quiet disposition, so to have her nervously trying to fill the silence... it didn't sit right with him.

"Venting, really," she waved her hand. "This new job takes a lot of patience, and I just need someone to cry to sometimes... you're right though. I didn't even ask you how your day was."

"That's just it though."

"What?" She looked confused.

"You have asked me. Three times now. Obviously something is preoccupying your mind..."

It took a few seconds, but she did relent, and the smile dropped from her face, "I'm just going through a hard time right now. There's a lot to this new life that I didn't... I didn't realize before I decided to stay. There's just been some stuff on my mind..."

"You don't have to keep that to yourself you know," Pharaoh chastised her. "That's what friends are for... to talk to when you're having a hard time."

"I know," she looked at the ground. "I-it's just hard sometimes... There's... a lot of stuff that-"

"You're friends back home wouldn't let you talk about your hard times," he interrupted. "And it would be harder for us to understand..."

"Yes..." she said quietly.

"Is that all?"

He knew, even before she exploded suddenly, that there was more she wanted to say... so when she dissolved into tears, he merely let her cling to him, and held her close while she sobbed. Whatever she had been holding in had definitely been eating at her for some time to warrant this reaction to such a simple question.

Finally, she surprised him by grabbing his hand, and looking him directly in the eyes, "You saw my future. Tell me what it was like."

He stepped back, stunned. They hadn't talked much about the fact that he had seen a very private section of her life since it happened. It really didn't matter in his mind, because she had decided to stay, so that future was no longer possible... yet here she was, trying to dig it out.

"Kaylie, it doesn't matter what I saw..."

"Tell me, please! I have to know!" She sank to the ground, shaking in a very uncharacteristic manner. The Pharaoh froze, completely unsure of what to do. Telling her just felt wrong. He couldn't figure out why she cared so much... unless...

"Ah..." he knelt down on the ground, holding out his hand to her. She finally took it, and allowed him to pull her back to her feet. "You're wondering if you made the right choice again, aren't you?"

Ashamed, she nodded in the affirmative.

"Kaylie..." he brushed some stray hair out of her face, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "You know what my future would have held as well... but I don't ask you about it. Do you know why?"

She shook her head.

"Because I don't care what future you have seen... I am in charge of my destiny. Maybe it will turn out that way, maybe not... You're always worried that your presence here is going to mess things up, but Kaylie..." he looked her in the eye. "If I could go back and change the past, I would choose to have you stay every time. I don't care if things don't turn out the way they would have. This is our journey now."

She nodded, giving a shuddery breath, "I know you're right. I shouldn't worry or wonder about it..."

"It's okay to wonder about what might have been..." he said gently. "But you can't let it overwhelm you so that you forget about what is happening right now... what you're worried about... it's in the past."

"My past future..." she sniffles with a small smile.

"Your past future," he nodded. "And my past future. We can wonder about them... but in the end, let's worry more about the future future, okay?"

Kaylie nodded, taking a deep breath, "Okay. Thank you, Pharaoh..."

"It's okay to be sad, Kaylie..." he nodded knowingly. "Just remember that even in the dark, there are little lights to look for."

He knew one thing for sure... she had a long road ahead of her before she could fully overcome the depression that so often invaded her mind, but for now, seeing her smile again... it brought a light into his own darkness.


	5. Hangman's Woods

"And dey never saw da girl again..." Joey finished, the flashlight casting ominous shadows on the surrounding trees.

"Ugh, now I'm never going to get to sleep..." Tea groaned.

"Dat's how you know it was a good story," Joey looked smug.

"Well it certainly doesn't help that we're in Hangman's Woods..." Kaylie had her arms folded, and her eyes closed, appearing rather knowledgeable as the firelight bounced darkness across her face.

"What do you mean?" The Pharaoh questioned, sitting next to her in his ghostly state. Though no one else other than Yugi heard him, Kaylie could see the same question on her friend's faces.

"Please don't tell me I'm the only one who looked this place up when we decided to camp here..."

The ashamed looks were enough for her to know that not a single one of them had thought to do so. Even better, they were starting to look nervous at the new information regarding the name of their location.

"Apparently these woods have quite the history," she began. "They served as a battleground long ago in a war between samurai that has long since been forgotten. After that, it was occupied by a man who went by the name of Gerald... He wasn't right in the head, and the reports indicate that they never found all of the missing bodies."

"Missing bodies?" Tristan's eye began to twitch.

"Of the kids that would often play here back then. He would snatch one up every now and then and force the child to play with him until... well... I'm sure your imagination can fill in the rest," Kaylie explained. "But don't worry. He was condemned for being a witch long ago, and hung on the branch of one of his beloved trees. That's why they call it Hangman's Woods."

"Are you serious?" Tea gulped.

"I'm just sharing what I read," Kaylie shrugged. "For all I know, none of it is true."

"Are there any reports of ghosts showing up?" Yugi asked timidly.

Kaylie shook her head, "Only a few people say that sometimes you can hear the kids calling for you to play with them. I didn't find anything saying that someone had seen a full on apparition."

"Den we'll be da first!" Joey pumped his fist. "Let's go ghost hunting!"

"I think I'll turn in for the night," Kaylie bit her lip. "Telling ghost stories and stuff is fun, but once you start invoking spirits... I just don't mess with that kind of stuff."

"Chicken," Tristan muttered.

"Better a chicken than dead," she gave them all a grim look before entering her tent. "Good night."

It wasn't long after she turned in for the night that Joey and Tristan began provoking the spirits. Tea was nervous about it, but she didn't leave. Yugi was unsure of what to think, but the Pharaoh seemed intrigued, so he stayed as well.

All in all, it was a rather disappointing ghost hunt. After asking endless questions and offering various provocations, they hadn't seen the smallest sign of a ghost. It wasn't until the fire had burned low and they were beginning to head for bed that they heard the first whisper.

"Did you hear that?" Tristan paused outside his, Yugi, and Joey's tent.

"Dere's nothin' dere..." Joey yawned.

"No, I heard it too," Tea stuck her head out of the tent she was sharing with Kaylie, whispering so she didn't wake the shorter blonde.

They all stood still listening to the various noises of the woods. Just when they were about to give up...

"Come play with us..."

The voice was more clear this time, and unmistakable. Joey got a huge grin on his face, "Alright! Now we're talkin! What game are we playin' ghost?"

"Hide and seek!" Came the chorus of voices, all belonging to children.

"Yes!" Tristan cried. "Let's do this!"

"Guys, I don't think wandering the woods after dark is the best idea..." Tea put in, looking slightly more freaked.

"What are the rules of this game?" Pharaoh asked calmly, switching with Yugi.

"We hide, and da ghosts seek us out!" Joey was fairly giddy.

"What does the winner get?" The Egyptian looked determined to play.

"Uh..." Tristan and Joey looked at each other.

A whisper blew around the camp, scattered in the trees as if the little ghosts were discussing among themselves. Finally, a soft, cold whisper rose above the others.

"If you stay hidden until sunrise, you get to walk away... if we win and find you, you have to stay and play with us. Forever."

"Gah! What kind of game of hide and seek is this!?" Tristan asked, twitching slightly.

"One."

"Wait! We didn't say we'd play!" Joey gulped.

"Two."

"Is this a twisted shadow game?" The Pharaoh asked, clenching his teeth.

"Three."

"Um, guys... we'd better hide!" Tea shrieked as the other voices joined in the counting.

"Four."

"That's not fair! All of us against you?" Tristan growled. "C'mon!"

"Five."

"Dere not stopping!" Joey gulped.

"Alright, we'll have to play," The Pharaoh nodded at his friends, grabbing Tea's hand. "Good luck." He pulled her into the woods with him, determined to protect her for Yugi's sake.

Hours went by, and Joey jumped at nearly ever noise as he quietly made his way through the trees. Eventually, he ran into Tristan, and soon after they found the Pharaoh and Tea. None of them had seen or heard of the ghosts since leaving, so they were feeling much safer.

"Maybe they didn't follow us," Tea suggested.

"Or maybe that's what they want us to think and they're toying with us..." Tristan gulped.

A breeze made the leaves on the trees rattle, and then distantly, they could hear it. The beating of a drum. It started out slow, but the closer it got, the more quickly the beats came.

"What do we do!?" Tea whimpered.

"We stand and fight!" The Pharaoh clenched his fist.

The beats were coming quickly now, and they were close. Soon they were striking one after another, and they expected that any second something would come bursting from the bushes... Then all at once it got silent once more, and all that surrounded them were the sounds of the woods.

They stood quietly for what must have been several minutes. Not a word was said, and the atmosphere was full of anxiety. Just when they were about to let their guard down, a nearby bush began to rustle. The Pharaoh quickly stepped between it and his friends, his arms outstretched.

"Show yourself!" He demanded.

They all gasped as Kaylie stepped through the bush, looking incredibly confused, "What are you guys doing out here? I got up to watch the sunrise and you were all gone..."

"Sunrise!?" They all looked up, and sure enough, the sky was beginning to grow light.

"No wonder the drumbeats stopped," Tristan looked relieved. "We won the game."

"What are you talking about?" The short blonde girl looked at each of her friends, concerned. "Did any of you get any sleep?"

As they walked back to their camp, they filled her in on the events of the previous few hours. When they finished their story, all of them were surprised as Kaylie started laughing.

"What's so funny!?" Joey demanded.

"Just that it's impossible you heard the ghosts of the murdered children..." she giggled.

"Whadya mean?" Tristan frowned.

"There were no murdered children. I made it up," she began packing camping gear into her bag.

"What!?"

"I didn't look up anything about these woods. It was a fabricated ghost story... But now I feel kind of bad because obviously none of you slept..." she turned and gave a sympathetic smile.

The dumbfounded looks revealed the level of shock she had created with her bomb. She shrugged and returned to packing her bag, "Our minds have a funny way of playing pranks on us..."

Before long, the others were grumpily packing their stuff as well, and the Pharaoh approached Kaylie from behind, in spirit form.

"There is one thing I don't understand..." he raised an eyebrow as she turned and smiled at him.

"What's that?"

"If it was just our imagination, how did we all hear the same thing?"

"I guess some things just can't be explained..." Kaylie finally answered, but not before the Pharaoh watched her slip a portable speaker into her bag. She turned and winked at him, then strode away. It was obvious to him now... she hadn't slept at all either, but for a different reason.

He floated to catch up with her, amazement on his face, "With access to all that KaibaCorp technology, I'm surprised you didn't throw in some holograms."

"My dear friend," Kaylie raised an eyebrow. "I assure you, I have no idea what you are talking about... but bear in mind that sometimes, the most terrifying enemy is the one you can't see."

"Because how do you fight it..." The Pharaoh finished.

"Exactly," she nodded.

"They'll figure it out eventually you know..."

"Perhaps," she shrugged.

"C'mon, let's get outta these woods," Joey called, hopping in the car. "Fake story or not, dis place still gives me da heebie jeebies."

"Right behind ya!" Tristan hopped in as well.

Kaylie smiled at the Pharaoh, "I'll tell them one day. For now, I think I'll just enjoy having friends while I've got them."

He chuckled as she walked back to the car, and slid in with the others. It had taken some time, but he felt like for the first time since meeting her, he was beginning to see the true Kaylie.


	6. The Kitchen Fiasco

Seto Kaiba had seen many things. He had been to the Shadow Realm. He'd had his soul stolen. He'd been trapped in virtual worlds... yet somehow, none of them compared to what was before him now.

"What have you done to my kitchen!?"

Kaylie and Mokuba looked up from the recipe book they were staring at, startled. Mokuba's face widened into a grin, "Seto! We're making dinner!"

"We have money for that Mokuba," the elder brother looked unamused.

"But we're tired of eating out," Kaylie groaned. "Besides, everything is already in the oven."

"I can see that," Kaiba glared at her. "And what sparked this whole dinner making idea anyway?"

"Well..." Mokuba grinned. "I was craving some chocolate, and so was Kaylie... but neither of us wanted to go to the store..."

"So I mentioned that we could just make homemade chocolate. That's what I always do," Kaylie nodded enthusiastically. "But halfway through the recipe, we realized we were missing the coconut oil..."

Kaiba turned and looked at the coconut oil sitting on the counter, "So where did you get that from?"

"From the store, duh!" Mokuba grinned.

"But I thought-"

"Well, at that point we were too far into the recipe to turn back now," Kaylie cut him off. "So we went to the store to get the missing ingredients."

"Then Kaylie was looking at all the food as we walked around, and talking about the food her mom would make," Mokuba gestured to all the other food items strewn around the kitchen. "So then we decided we may as well get everything to make dinner while we were there..."

"So let me get this straight," Kaiba rubbed his temples. "You wanted chocolate, but you were too lazy to go to the store to get some..."

"Right," Kaylie affirmed.

"But you weren't too lazy to try and make some from scratch..."

"Exactly," Mokuba nodded.

"But when you realized you were missing ingredients, you went to the store anyway, and came home to make an entire five course meal..." Kaiba's eye was twitching, and the other two gulped. "Because you were too lazy to go to the store and get some chocolate!?"

Kaylie and Mokuba exchanged a sheepish look, then turned and nodded in unison.

"Whatever... Just clean everything up," Kaiba walked out in a huff.

"Guess we learned something today..." Mokuba muttered.

"That your brother doesn't really need a kitchen if he never plans to use it?" Kaylie asked.

"Nope," he shook his head. "We're just not as lazy as we thought."

Kaylie laughed, and began wiping the counter down while their meal cooked, "C'mon, we'd better get this cleaned up. Maybe he'll change his mind when he tastes how good the food is."

"We can only hope," Mokuba smiled.


	7. A Grand Facade

"If she's so much like Yugi and his friends, why do you like her so much, and not them?"

Kaylie stopped dead at the sound of Mokuba's voice floating out of Kaiba's office. She had returned home from work early after another one of Erika's tirades against her. While the supervisor was very aware of the vendetta her coworker had, he couldn't fire the other waitress because she was the manager's daughter. Instead, he allowed Kaylie to return home to clean herself up, and gave Erika her section of the restaurant to manage on top of Kaylie's. The best part was that Kaylie would still be paid for the hours she was missing.

"I told you Mokuba, it isn't quite the same," Kaiba's voice caused her heart to pound. She definitely was not supposed to be hearing this conversation, but she couldn't move. "Even you know there are differences between her and them..."

Despite knowing this was a private conversation, even Kaylie had to admit she had wondered this exact thing. The week had already been pretty horrible, so she doubted any scathing remarks she overheard would affect her anyway. She inched closer to the partially open door, listening.

"She teases you just as much as Joey does..." Mokuba started.

"But doesn't lose her cool when I shoot right back."

"She is just as content as Tristan is to take backseat to any action."

"Yet somehow she knows when it's her turn to step forward," Kaiba hesitated. "Like when she gave up her soul to help us beat Dartz."

 _Wow. I had no idea it meant that much to him, considering how he pretty well convinced himself it was all fake... but then again, when you're listening in on a private conversation between the Kaiba brothers, I guess all sorts of walls come down_.

"She's just as stubborn as Yugi. Or the Pharaoh. Whichever it is," Mokuba continued.

"But she doesn't constantly doubt herself either," the elder brother's voice pierced her heart. "She just does what needs to be done, and moves on."

 _Oh Kaiba... if you could only see the many thoughts that swirl around my head every day... I doubt myself probably more than anyone_.

"And she holds just as much passion for friendship and all that sappy stuff that you claim to hate," Mokuba sounded pretty proud for coming up with that one.

"But it's the realism that balances the idealism..." Kaiba's voice got a little softer. "And I don't think you need an example given what happened this week..."

"Right..." Mokuba sighed. "How long do you think she'll spend on her own before she starts being social again?"

"Who knows... It isn't really any of our business."

"Seto, she's our sister!" Came the protesting response.

"And just like we trust each other, we have to trust that she'll come to us when she's ready."

Kaylie stared at the ceiling of her room as the shadows around her grew. She hadn't stayed to listen to the rest of the conversation, instead opting to cave in her room for the evening. Kaiba and Mokuba would know she was home when they saw her shoes sitting neatly near theirs.

It had been hours, but she couldn't get what Kaiba had said out of her head. Despite her glaring faults, he saw something in her she didn't see herself. In fact, since most of what he said was false, she was led to believe he merely fell for the facade she put up... and if that mask is what he respected, she shuddered to think what might happen if she let it crumble.

Probably the same thing that had happened with Yugi and the gang earlier that week...

* * *

It had been a long day at work, and thoughts about the Pharaoh ultimately leaving to rest peacefully had been plaguing her thoughts. Despite her best effort, it was clear that the Egyptian sensed she was being distant.

She had been sitting on her bed, mindlessly drawing when the whole gang burst through the door, ready to cheer her up and take her away from whatever depression was holding their friend hostage.

Only seeing Yami and the others made it worse.

She really had tried to smile and laugh. She wanted to let them know she appreciated the gesture, and satisfy them... but it just wasn't working. After awhile she could tell her mood was bringing everyone else down too, and they were getting frustrated with her, and she was exhausted.

"Thanks for coming over to check on me guys... I really appreciate it..." she had started. "It's getting late though, and I have work in the morning."

"We can't leave yet!" Tea smiled. "We're here for you, Kaylie. We want you to be happy."

"And I appreciate it so much. You are all the best friends a girl could ask for," Kaylie gave her best, heartfelt smile. "But I think right now, I need to be alone."

"No can do sis!" Joey grinned. "Like Tea said, we're here for ya, so you don't have ta be alone!"

At this point, she felt anger bubbling inside of her, and she had to take a few discreet breaths to calm herself down, "That's really sweet and all Joey, but I really just need some space to think about things..."

"Think about what things?" Tristan asked.

"It might help you feel better if you talk about it," Tea added.

"I don't think it will in this case..." Kaylie gave a nervous chuckle to hide the rising tempest.

"That's what friends are for," Tea continued. "We're there for you during the good times and the bad times. We listen and help one another. If there's something that's making you sad, then you should tell us so we can overcome it together. Keeping all of that sadness inside isn't going to do you any good..." she must have continued on like that for a good two minutes, and not long after, Kaylie felt her patience snap.

"I don't want your help, okay!?" she glared at them, her voice rising in volume. "This isn't something that friendship can magically fix. It isn't something that is just going to go away with the company of people. When I say I want to be alone, it isn't because I'm worried that I'm annoying you. It's because I actually want to be left alone! No friends! No heart to heart talks! No help with my problems! Sometimes there are things that you just need to work through on your own!"

When she finished, she knew she had gone too far. Tea had tears running down her cheeks, and the others just looked shocked. She should have apologized. She knew that... but the words stuck in her throat like glue.

In an instant, Yugi was replaced by Yami, who simply nodded at her, "As you wish."

And then they left.

Mokuba had come in a few minutes later. She must have been yelling pretty loud, because he told her he had heard the whole thing... That had been three days ago, and she hadn't talked to anyone since. She'd gone to work and stayed in her room between shifts. She barely had an appetite, and couldn't bring herself to do much besides sleep and stare at the wall.

She felt bad. She really did. But how could her friends help her to not be sad when she didn't know why she felt sad in the first place?

It was a vicious cycle that had torn her up for many years. The random depression would hit without warning, and plummet her mood for days, sometimes weeks. She'd learned that the best thing to do was just to let it pass... and in a few days, she'd be back to her normal self.

She could apologize then.


	8. Erika's Wrath

(Author's note: Just a reminder that requests/situational ideas are more than welcome. Maybe you have an OC you'd like to make a quick appearance? An idea for a short chapter? Something you'd like to see more of? Anything of the like will be considered. Don't forget to review and let me know what you like or don't like! Cheers!)

* * *

Kaylie had just finished clocking in and walked through the doors into the kitchen when she found herself cornered by her arch nemesis in waitressing. Erika had a wild look in her eyes, and it almost seemed like she was breathing erratically, her arms on either side of Kaylie's head.

"Er... Good morning Erika..." Kaylie mumbled.

"Is it true?" Erika snarled.

"Is what true?" Kaylie looked over Erika's shoulder as the rest of the kitchen staff gathered around. She might have been a little more worried if it weren't for the amused look on Kie's face.

"That you didn't get fired the day you spilled liquid all over Seto Kaiba because you actually LIVE with him!" The dark haired girl spat out angrily.

"Uh..." Kaylie looked at Kie for help.

"You dirty, no good-" Erika raised her hand to strike her, but was stopped by another coworker while Kie stood between the two girls.

"It isn't what you think Erika," he tried to soothe her.

"I heard what you all said! She lives with him! What else could it be?" Erika's outburst suddenly clicked the pieces for the poor blonde who was currently being assaulted.

"No, she's right..." Kaylie ducked under Kie's protective arm. "I didn't get fired that day because I do live with Seto Kaiba..."

"I knew it!" Erika seethed.

"After all, what good would it do him to get his own sister fired?" Kaylie shrugged.

"You stupid little-" Erika stopped suddenly, blinking. "Come again?"

"His sister," Kie emphasized for her. "Kaylie's legal last name is Kaiba, but you stormed out of the office before we could explain..."

"How do you know they aren't married!?" Erika's wrath was turned on Kie now. "They don't look anything alike!"

"That is true," Kaylie tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "But he's a bit young to be getting married, don't ya think? We don't look alike because we aren't blood related. Gozaburo Kaiba adopted two boys a number of years ago... Seto and Mokuba were those two boys."

"But you look nothing like Gozaburo either..." Kie mumbled.

Kaylie bit her lip. Mokuba had drilled her for moments like this a hundred times, but now that it came down to it, she wasn't sure she could pull it off, "I was adopted into the family much later... I have no blood relation to any of them."

"Why would the Kaiba family adopt the likes of you?" Erika snorted.

"Because there was concern that Seto," she wrinkled her nose, not feeling comfortable using his first name. "Was not old enough to be taking care of the family on account of his age. He is only sixteen, and the legal age to be an adult here in Japan is twenty."

"So they found an eighteen year old?" Erika scoffed. "You aren't an adult either honey..."

"But I'm an American citizen," Kaylie smiled. "And they figured me being an adult by my own country's standards was good enough. We met a little while ago, and I guess I just fit what Seto and Mokuba were looking for in a sister... It really isn't anything more than that."

"Besides," Kie smiled at Erika. "Kaylie's dating Yugi Muto."

The look of shock on Erika's face made Kaylie almost feel bad. It was like they had shattered her whole world, "You're d-dating your brother's rival!?"

"Something like that," Kaylie gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Come sit down, Erika..." one of their coworkers led the stunned girl away, and Kaylie let out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry about that..." Kie muttered. "She can be such a nut..."

"How'd you know about Yugi?" Kaylie turned to finish putting her apron on and make sure she had a pen in her pocket.

"I saw you two walking and holding hands one night while I was out driving."

Kaylie nodded, then turned and looked at Kie annoyed, "So why were you talking about me in the office?"

Kie shrugged, "We were hoping it might cool her temper towards you..."

"A little warning next time, okay?"

Kie laughed, and turned to walk into the dining room, a huge grin on his face, "Deal."

"I swear," Kaylie shook her head, exasperated. "They just like to perpetuate drama..."


	9. Mending Ties

"Kaylie!" Yugi looked shocked as he answered the door. "H-how are you?"

"Fine..." was the unemotive response. "I came to ask a favor..."

"A favor?" Yugi furrowed his brow.

Kaylie held up her dueling deck, "I want to duel you. Just a friendly challenge... no strings attached."

"W-what?" Yugi stepped back. "O-okay, but..."

The blonde nodded in understanding, "I thought that maybe after we dueled, we could just... talk. I just need something to take my mind of things."

The Pharaoh appeared next to Yugi and nodded his approval. Soon they were seated at the table, a duel mat in front of them. As much as Kaylie liked her duel disk, she wasn't in the mood for theatrics.

"You start," Yugi smiled.

"Alright..." Kaylie took a deep breath. "I'll summon Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke in attack mode, and place two cards facedown..."

"I'll start by activating Pot of Greed, and draw two cards," Yugi reexamined his hand with the new additions. "I'll place a monster in facedown defense mode. Then I'll add this card facedown..."

"I'll attack your facedown monster with my Ninja..." Kaylie raised an eyebrow, surprised as her monster easily defeated his Kuriboh. "And I suppose that'll end my turn..."

Yugi drew a card, and she could tell by the exasperated look on his face that it wasn't all that helpful. She almost felt bad. Maybe there just wasn't enough riding on this duel for the Heart of the Cards to be manifest?

"I'll end my turn," he said glumly.

Kaylie's mouth dropped open. His life points were unprotected!

"I'll attack you directly with my ninja..." she proceeded cautiously, wary about his facedown card. He didn't activate it though, and she took his life points down to 2200.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Yugi stood to answer it. She recognized Joey's voice long before he entered the room. He told Yugi he just wanted to stop by and see how things were going. He got excited to see them dueling and sat down, "Aw man! I get to play da winner!"

"Well... So far, she's winning..." Yugi looked embarrassed.

"Aw... don't be like dat. So you got a bad opening hand..." Joey smiled.

Kaylie nodded, "It happens. This duel isn't over yet..."

Yugi nodded, and drew a card. He seemed a little more relieved, but he wasn't out of the woods. "I'll place one monster in defense mode, facedown."

Joey and Kaylie both exchanged a worried look. Kaylie drew her card, and looked at Yugi. "I'll summon my Lord of Dragons, then place one more card facedown..." He seemed confident, and he still had that facedown card... "Then I'll end my turn..."

Yugi let out a sigh of relief, flipping over his Gazelle. If she had attacked, she would have won, assuming his facedown card wasn't a trap. "I'll tribute my Gazelle in order to summon Dark Magician Girl, in attack mode!"

"Way to go Yug!" Joey cheered. "Dat's more like it!"

"Dark Magician Girl can then attack your ninja..."

"Nice work!" Kaylie smiled, discarding her ninja into her graveyard. She was now at 3800 life points. "You had me worried there for a second. I'll switch my Lord of D. into defense mode. Looks like the table has turned... for now."

She smiled as Yugi and the Pharaoh scrutinized her for a second. She looked at her hand again. She had a card that could easily destroy the Dark Magician Girl, allowing her monster to attack him directly again... but the fact that he hadn't activated his facedown card made her nervous. Plus, she wasn't ready to finish the duel and get to the talking quite yet.

The doorbell rang again, and Tristan let himself in before Yugi could even get up. He flopped down next to Joey, and quickly observed the playing field, "Looks like Yugi's got this in the bag..."

"For now..." Yugi chuckled. "Dark Magician Girl will attack Lord of D. then... and I'll end my turn."

Kaylie discarded her monster, and drew her next card, "I'll use my Reinforcement of the Army spell card to add a warrior monster that is level four or less to my hand, and then I will summon Command Knight to the field, and equip him with my Phoenix Blade spell card, raising his attack to 1500. Then, I'll use my Tribute of the Doomed card to send your Dark Magician Girl to the graveyard..." Kaylie discarded a card from her hand to activate the spell card. "That'll be all for now."

Yugi drew his next card, his face becoming more determined, "I'll activate the Shallow Grave magic card, allowing us each to summon a monster from our graveyard in defense face-up defense mode. I'll choose my Dark Magician Girl!"

"And I'll summon my Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke," Kaylie nodded.

"Next, I'll summon Queen's Knight..."

"And activate my Trap Hole card," Kaylie smiled. "Sending her straight to the graveyard..."

"Whoa..." Tristan's eyes grew wide. "I never knew Kaylie was so good at dueling..."

"I'll use my Magical Hats spell card to conceal my Dark Magician Girl," Yugi sighed. "And end my turn."

"I'll switch my ninja into attack mode. Thanks to my Command Knight, he'll gain another 400 attack points, allowing him to take out your Dark Magician Girl... If I can find her."

After having Joey think of a number between 1 and 4, Kaylie chose to attack hat number 4. She was wrong, narrowing down where the Dark Magician Girl could be. She ended her turn.

"I'll play one monster in defense mode," Yugi looked at the field. "That's all for now."

Another knock at the door halted the game once more, and Tea soon joined them in the room. She didn't say much, and the atmosphere was suddenly very tense... Kaylie looked at Yugi and smiled, "And that is my cue to surrender the duel..." she placed her hand over her deck, and gathered her cards together.

"What is this about?" Yugi chuckled nervously. "I wasn't expecting everyone to show up... And you were dueling so well..."

"But the point wasn't to duel," Kaylie smiled softly. "That was a distraction while I waited for everyone. Thanks for coming guys..."

"Sure thing," Joey nodded, and the other two stared at the floor. "We'll be here any time you need..."

"I know," she faced them and took a deep breath. "Even after how I treated you, I can still count on you. That's how I know I've found true friends... And I owe you all an apology. I shouldn't have snapped the way I did. I know you were just trying to help..."

"Are you still bothered by that?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "It happens sometimes. No big deal."

"Maybe not to you," Kaylie's heart pounded. "But there are still things you don't know about me and my life, and I'm still learning things about you... And one of the things I've begun to learn is that you aren't anything like any of the people I was friends with back home..."

Tea looked up, a spark in her eyes, "They hurt you pretty bad, didn't they?"

Kaylie clenched her jaw, but ultimately did her best to keep a poker face, "I didn't know when they were my friends and when they were my enemies. And knowing they could switch between the two, I learned quickly that my secrets weren't safe."

"And that is why you didn't want to talk with us the other day..." The Pharaoh folded his ghostly arms, unheard by everyone else but her and Yugi.

"It's really hard for me to switch gears from a world where friendship is fickle and rarely solves anything to a world where it seems to have the power to conquer any problem," she admitted. "And even though I'm here now, that world will always be part of who I am..."

"But even so, we're here for you," Yugi smiled. "It's been a hard adjustment for you. We understand. Take your time. You'll get the hang of trusting us soon!"

"And since you're obviously still learning what friendship can do," Tea smiled. "We have to stick around... or you'll end up like Kaiba."

Kaylie giggled, "He isn't that bad..."

"Not dat bad!?" Joey seethed. "Let me tell ya about Moneybags!"

It felt nice to laugh after such an emotional week... And as Joey continued his rant while the others tried to calm him down, Kaylie found herself locking eyes with the Pharaoh. After a few seconds, he smiled and nodded his approval. She had taken a big step today. She was learning how to trust once more. The sight of his smile sent warmth surging through her body. It might take some time and there would be bumps along the way, but when he looked at her like that, she knew she could do this.


	10. A Heart to Heart

"What unknown dreamscape are you traveling now?"

Kaylie looked up from her drink into Yami's violet eyes, and felt her face turn red. His chin was resting on his hands, and he was staring at her intensely. She hadn't realized that he'd stopped telling his story about meeting Yugi for the first time after she had asked to hear it. Her mind had wandered again.

"I am so sorry Pharaoh..." she sighed, sitting up straight. "Sometimes, I just think about that day with Dartz... I replay it in my head over and over again..."

"Which part?" Yami tilted his head. "A lot happened in that twenty-four hours."

"All of it... Mostly I think about what I learned..." she trailed off. "Sometimes... it feels like I'm not myself anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I felt so sure, and confident after that. Now... Now I feel like I have no confidence at all. It's like I'm slipping back into that dark spot that I was in before I came here. I don't want to be in a place like that, but..." she stopped again. "It doesn't make any sense."

The Egyptian pursed his lips in thought, and the silence folded them into its cold embrace. He had felt she was different privately, to himself. The passion and fire she had while dealing with Dartz had certainly retreated since they had returned home. Her wandering mind wasn't new either. He felt there was a disconnect between her and everyone else... but it made him feel better to know she realized it too.

"Well..." he started slowly. "What was driving you before you came here, to our world?"

"Nothing," her shoulders slumped. "That's why I was done. I had nothing to drive me."

"And when you got here..."

She perked up in realization, "All I could think about was getting home..."

"And now?"

"I'm stagnant again," her face fell. "I go to work, I come home, I sleep..."

"If there is one thing I know about you Kaylie, it's that you have an adventurous spirit. Even when you knew your presence here could tip the scales, you still headed into dangerous territory. You have a passionate fire that burns in your eyes at times..." he thought about her sacrifice to save them, surrendering her soul to the Orichalcos. "But that fire consumes fuel quickly, and lately... well... It's died out."

She nodded slowly, then looked at him, studying his face, "But even though it's gone out, you are still around. You and everyone else."

"We know it's still there," he smiled. "It's part of who you are. One of my favorite parts..."

Kaylie smiled, "I always wondered about that."

"About what?"

"About when you suddenly decided that a 2,000 year old spirit cared that deeply about a human that didn't even belong in a world that was in serious peril..." her voice carried off in a dreamlike tone, and a sudden sadness fell over her once more.

"Well... uh..." he struggled to say something, anything that would lift the heaviness. "I was intrigued by you when we first saw you in the museum... And then you kept popping up randomly. Always there, but very quiet... And then, when Professor Hawkins disappeared and you asked to come with me... that fire in your eyes..."

"I just wish I could maintain that for you..."

"You don't need to maintain anything for me..." he smiled, and placed his hand on hers. "You just be you, and I'll just be me."

She smiled, "Yeah. Sorry to be super insecure about it."

"There's always going to be a little bit of insecurity... Especially when there are magical Millennium Items involved..." he smiled. "Perhaps you can help me convince Yugi that he and Tea are more than just friends..."

"Oh no!" She put her hands up. "I am not touching that one!"

He chuckled and stood up, "Well, then let's go find something to reignite that flame. To be honest, I think what you really need is to spend less time holed up in that mansion..."

She followed his lead, walking out of the smoothie place with a smile on her face, "Kaiba has a way of freezing the world out for sure..."

"No need for you to get the resulting frostbite," he reached down and squeezed her hand. "Let's go find the others. They'll have some ideas of where to start an adventure."

Kaylie smiled to herself as they walked, shoving off the question of how much time she actually had before that final adventure. For now, she'd have to enjoy the one that came next... whether it was a big one, like saving the world, or just the every day adventure of going to lunch with a 2,000 year old Egyptian spirit, who always seemed to have just the right thing to say.


	11. A Snooping Brother

"Seto, I'm worried about Kaylie."

Seto Kaiba looked up from his laptop to see his younger brother staring at the floor. Ah yes. Their new "sister" had been The cause of Mokuba's latest anxieties. Any little thing out of the ordinary, and the younger Kaiba would get scared that she would up and leave them.

Just like our parents...

Mokuba's fears were not unfounded. Kaiba just wished he could do something to help his brother learn that in the end, people are unpredictable and you can't rely on them.

"What is it this time?" the CEO returned to typing on his computer. "She seems normal enough to me."

"Not really," Mokuba rolled his eyes. "She still just goes to work, comes home, and sleeps... except she must be picking up extra shifts or something, because she is gone more often than she's home."

Kaiba sighed and closed his laptop, "That is true, but I don't think it is because of work."

"Huh?"

"Last Friday I had a business lunch. She left that morning saying she was going to work, but when I got there, her coworker told me she'd left after one shift. He assumed she was going home, since she wasn't scheduled to work the rest of the day," Kaiba steeped his fingers and tapped the bridge of his nose.

"But she was gone all day?" Mokuba frowned.

"Yes. At first I thought that maybe she was hanging out with the geek patrol again, but one call to the school was enough to know that they were all in class..."

"You called the school and they gave you information?" Mokuba raised an eyebrow. "When you yourself weren't in class?"

"They are familiar with my situation. A little bribing was easy enough to get the info."

"Seto," Mokuba started, ready to lecture.

"After checking her phone messages and running through her email, I found something..." Kaiba continued quickly. "Since I pay for the phone and her email is the one we gave her as a Kaiba Corp shareholder... It is well within my rights to do so."

Yes. The one thing that had made him the most nervous about creating Kaylie's new identity as their sibling... She could have argued for an equal amount of shares in the company, but for once, Kaiba hadn't been worried. She didn't even want any of it, but it would have seemed strange to the media. They didn't want anyone looking into it too closely, so she agreed to a small portion of shares with the assurance that she didn't actually need to do anything.

"So..." Mokuba fidgeted nervously, still uncomfortable with invading their sister's privacy. "What did you find?"

"She started school two weeks ago," Kaiba picked up his phone and began flipping through emails. "Seems she is pursuing her moronic dream of theatre..."

"School?" Mokuba's face fell. "Why didn't she tell us?"

"The tuition certainly wasn't cheap," Kaiba huffed. "My guess would be that she didn't want us to interfere. But if she wants to do things on her own, I won't stop her. She's probably super busy with all she has to do, and that's why she's always sleeping."

"Yeah," Mokuba sighed. "I still wish she'd told us."

"She has her own mind to do her own things, Mokuba," Kaiba looked up briefly. "You can't trust people..."

"I was just worried about her..."

"She's fine," the elder brother scoffed. "She can take care of herself..."

Once Mokuba left, Kaiba opened his laptop again, and looked down the list of emails in front of him. University admissions, scholarship information, and emails from professors went on and on. Though he had originally had doubts, he had to admit he was beginning to trust that Kaylie was going to stick around.


	12. Late Night Visitor

A bright light woke the 24 year old out of a deep sleep. It took her a few seconds to reorient herself and even then, she wasn't fully convinced she wasn't having a bout of sleep paralysis. The shadowy figure standing above her bed was certainly not normal.

Sleepily, she pulled the chain on the lamp next to her bed, and gasped in shock, "Shadi!?"

"Kaylie..." the Egyptian let out a sigh of relief. "I made it."

The college student let her jaw hang open. It had been a few months since she had given any thought to the world from which this man came. She had finally begun settling back into the monotony of life without the straying thoughts, and now...

"Why are you here!?" She asked, quickly shutting her bedroom door on the off chance that someone else would wake up and see a strange man in her bedroom. "How are you here? I thought the rift between our worlds closed long ago..."

"The rift between our world in your universe closed, yes," Shadi nodded. "But I come from an alternate universe."

"An alternate universe?"

"Yes. One where you chose to stay instead of return home. Now everyone is in grave danger."

"Danger!?"

Shadi nodded his head gravely, "Your choice to stay has greatly upset the balance of things..."

"I didn't choose to stay!" there was a defensive edge to Kaylie's voice. "Don't take it out on me."

"I need your help," Shadi explained.

"With what?" Kaylie raised an eyebrow.

"Help me convince you to leave the Pharaoh," his eyes pierced right through her.

"You want me to convince myself to come home?" She didn't bother masking her skepticism.

"No, I'm afraid returning home is impossible for her. As it is, the bridge between our universes is very thin. It is only still in existence because not much time has gone by since they originally split off."

"Not much time?" She looked at him, confused. "It's been five years!"

"Perhaps in your universe. Time passes differently. In ours, it had only been a matter of months."

"Oh, so not only do I have to convince myself, but I have to convince my younger self!?"

"No one knows you better than you do," Shadi bowed his head wisely.

"Yeah," Kaylie snorted. "And I know me well enough to know that this will never work. You're asking me to give up the reason I stayed behind in the first place, without even the consolation of going back home."

"It may be a long shot," Shadi looked up and gazed into her eyes. "But what other choice do I have? Without trying, our world is doomed for certain."

"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this..." the blonde sighed. "Alright, I'll go... But it has to be a very quick visit. I don't want the bridge to collapse and get trapped there too. One me is enough."

"You are doing a great service!" Shadi exclaimed. "I believe in you!"

He turned just in time to miss Kaylie biting her lip and mumbling to herself, "At least one of us does."


	13. A Familiar Face

"You want me to leave Atem!?"

The older Kaylie winced, looking around nervously, "Please don't say that name out loud. Who knows what could happen if-"

"I don't care!" The younger girl glared at her older self, who was dressed in pajamas like she had also been roused suddenly in the night. "We talked about this, Atem and I. We decided we were flipping the script and going off book. No more worrying about the consequences of not following the story."

"By the Gods, it's already begun," Shadi gasped.

The older girl turned and silenced the egyptian immediately, "Enough."

"You can't just come here and tell me about how much better your choice to leave was," the younger girl's defensive tone began to turn hostile.

"That isn't why I'm here," came the calm reply. "I told Shadi I would come because I felt I owed him that much for causing trouble. I told him it was folly to try and convince you."

"Why did you even bother then?"

"I was curious. Aren't you?"

The shorter girl stopped and looked at her older self, truly looked, for the first time. She was confident and calm. Her hair had grown considerably, and a pair of glasses adorned her face, giving her a more mature look. Her eyes held sadness and hurt from some past trauma, but also pride and strength for having overcome it. This was who she might have been, had she gone home.

"So you're still with the Pharaoh?"

"Yes," the younger girl answered. "And you...?"

"That is quite the story. One I don't have time to tell," a brief nod from Shadi confirmed the older girl's words. "But I have loved and lost more over the years than I imagined possible."

"Was it worth it, knowing you could be me?"

"You know the answer as well as I do."

The younger girl nodded with a sigh. It always came back to the maddening answer that either choice wasn't right or wrong. It was merely a choice that led to where she was now.

"It isn't the choice that matters," The older girl reached out and put a hand on Kaylie's shoulder. Tears began to fall down the young girl's cheeks as she listened. "It's what we choose to do in our new circumstance that can make a difference. And if I know you, and I'm sure I do," a small smile crossed the college student's face. "I know you'll make the most of yours and do what is going to be best for everyone."

The shorter girl started to protest, but was interrupted again.

"Do what you feel is best for everyone, and it will work out."

"I understand."

"Good," the other girl turned to Shadi. "It seems we're just about out of time."

"Thank you."

Shadi reached out his hand to the unexpected night visitor, who took it calmly. As they began to fade out, she smiled once more at her younger self, "Find peace little me, and all will be well."

A flash of light ended the encounter the same way it had begun, leaving Kaylie alone once more in her new found home. Though the visit had felt like an intrusion at first, she now felt a sense of peace and calm surround her as she pondered what she had been told.

 _Do what I feel is right. Not what everyone else thinks I should do._

She smiled, looking out the window at the brighht stars in the sky.

 _I think I can do that._


	14. Deserted

(Author's Note: Guys, I fixed some stupid name error that for some dumb reason I didn't notice. Yes, Shadi is the correct person, and I apologize for the mixup. Let this be a lesson. Don't write when you are tired. My earlier draft had the correct name, so I don't know why I messed up.)

* * *

Kaylie let out a sigh of relief as the bedroom and her younger self faded from view. She was glad to be rid of that burden once more, but part of her was anxious that this part of her life might never go away. What if she was graduating college and suddenly got stolen away by an ancient Egyptian? Or the room filled with duel monsters? No, this had to be the last time. She had made her choice. She'd make sure of it.

The electric feeling that accompanied the world hopping started to slow, and she looked forward to slipping back into her nice, warm bed once more. She'd left her electric blanket on, despite her uncle thinking it was a fire hazard. Luckily, if what Shadi said was correct, she'd only have been gone for a few minutes, and her relatives would still be sleeping.

Oh how she ached to be done with school so she could go back to living with her immediate family, or find a place of her own.

As she felt her feet land on solid ground again, she turned to Shadi to assure him it would be okay, but stopped short.

"This isn't my room!" she glanced around the stone room filled with ancient hieroglyphs. "I don't even think this is my world..."

"My apologies, Miss..." Shadi moved away, towards the darkened doorway to her left. The only exit from the room. "I can't take you back until I know for certain things have changed..."

"What!?" Her jaw dropped. "No, you have to take me home! What if I get stuck here!?"

"Then it would be your foolishness in not convincing yourself at fault. I am going to see if you have changed things. If so, I will take you back. If not, you will be stuck here until the bridge collapses, or you convince yourself to avoid ending the world as we know it," he began to fade out, and Kaylie felt panic rise.

"Wait!" She tried to move, but found herself frozen.

"I advise against leaving," Shadi held his hand up. "You could wander in the desert for days and be dead for months before anyone found you."

"Please, stop!" She felt tears bubble up, but could do nothing but watch as the Egyptian faded out. As soon as he was gone, she collapsed on the floor, able to move again, and started sobbing.

Fortunately, the shock wore off fast. She quickly composed herself, wiping the tears away, and ran through the doorway, and down a narrow hallway until she came to some stairs. Ascending them quickly, she burst into the scorching desert, leaving the odd Egyptian bunker at her back. All around there was nothing but sand. Her heart dropped.

"How am I to find my way out of this mess?" her shoulders slumped. Shadi was right. She would die out here before finding civilization.

She clenched her fists in anger, annoyed with the mysterious, and apparently dishonest Egyptian. Her aunt and uncle would flip when they couldn't find her in the morning, and if this forced her to miss school and have to redo her last semester, Shadi would have more to worry about than her alternate self destroying the world.

"I can't let him win," she hissed to herself through her gritted teeth. "I am tired of being used and kidnapped. I will find civilization, or I will die trying."

She began walking through the sand, breathing heavily as it scorched her bare feet. She probably looked ridiculous, tromping around in her pajamas, but she didn't care. No one was there to see, and when she eventually ran into someone, she was sure she'd be too happy to be bothered by her appearance.

After just ten minutes of walking, she silently cursed herself. She should have waited till nightfall to do this. She would be moving a lot faster without the sun beating on her back, and she suddenly remembered seeing a water flask and bread sitting on a table in the strange stone room.

"So I'm an idiot. What else is new? I'm going to die here, and then I'm going to end the world. That's fine. Everything is fine."

But everything wasn't fine, especially when the heat began to tease her with visions of water on the horizon. At first she ignored the mirages, but eventually she lost the clear thoughts that had kept her from straying towards them, and began zigzagging across the sand, trying to make it to those seemingly not too distant oases.

After that, it didn't take long for her to sink to her knees and lie in the sand, sure she could hear the screech of vultures above.

"Yep," she mumbled. "That was truly stupid."

The thought of vultures tugged at her, begging for her attention, but she pushed it away. If they wanted to eat her, so be it. It was probably the first meal they'd had in-

She sat up quickly. Vultures meant there had to be water nearby. She was on her feet and running as fast as she could towards what she knew must be civilization.

Alas, it was all in vain. Finally she collapsed once more, letting her head fall to her right side. In the distance, she thought she could see the tops of buildings, and she groaned. It seemed the desert would torment her until she died. She even thought she saw a figure approaching from the distance, but quickly wrote it off. After all, what person wore biker gear in the desert?

She chuckled to herself as she thought of how being kidnapped by bikers had led her to this in the first place before closing her eyes, and allowing the darkness to embrace her.

* * *

Marik approached the fallen form, wondering for at least the tenth time why anyone would run themselves this ragged just outside of town. The people had pointed her out, running parallel with the city, earlier that day, and he'd followed her trying to figure out what was going on. Now, as he drew closer and saw her strange dress, he realized she may not know where town was, and came to her rescue.

He hefted her over his shoulder, and she mumbled something about crazy bikers and Egyptians kidnapping her, obviously delirious from heat stroke. He shook his head in wonder and headed back for town. As he walked, and the girl continued to mumble on and on, he heard a name that sounded very familiar. He quickened his pace. Somehow he just knew that this was someone his sister would want to talk to.


	15. A Night of Theatre

"Even ancient Egyptians had their own form of theatre," Kaylie rambled on, leading Pharaoh towards the steps of the magnificent theatre before them. "It mainly took the form of ritual and such, but it was theatre."

How had he allowed her to convince him to take this step into her world? Despite his assurances that he and she could rewrite the history she knew as his future, something in his gut had tugged at him, warning that getting to close might be disastrous.

She intrigued him.

When they had first met, she had spoken with such passion, it stirred feelings in his heart. Shortly after returning to Japan, that spark had gone out. He found himself desperately trying to hold to the heart flutters and stomach lurches, like a roller coaster he'd once ridden to humor Yugi... but the feelings were fleeting.

Then, she'd mentioned that there was a show in town, and that fire was reignited in an instant as she danced around, explaining why they absolutely had to go. This was more than just a silly display to her. This was life itself.

He settled uncomfortably in the seat next to her as she continued to prattle on, pointing out various aspects of the theatre in an awed voice. He had the feeling she'd never been in a theatre quite this magnificent. Her chatter continued until the lights dimmed, and actors took the stage.

It didn't hold his attention at all. It felt slow compared to a duel, and he wasn't certain what the point was to have people pretend to be something they weren't. Instead, his attention was drawn to Kaylie, her focus completely on the stage. The fire was still in her eyes, and he could practically see the gears turning in her head.

What was it that made her so passionate about this?

He clapped at the appropriate places. At one point he took to his inner thoughts, begging Yugi to take his place or explain the appeal to him. The shorter boy only shook his head and disappeared.

Finally the final bow was taken, and the curtain dropped. The Pharaoh numbly followed Kaylie out of the theatre, and down the street. It was a few minutes before he realized she wasn't talking, like he'd assumed she would. He looked over at her, only to find her staring at him.

"So?" She asked, eyebrow raised.

"It was good. It showed how light always wins. I'm glad the good guy escaped the bad guy and the lovers were able to end up together," came the not well thought response from his lips. He took a few steps before realizing she'd stopped to gape at him. What had he said?

Kaylie cleared her throat and turned to the right. She walked over to a bench on ghe sidewalk, and patted it with her hand. He strode over to join her, sitting down as she stared ahead, like she was disappointed in him. Finally, after ages of silence, she spoke.

"Was Javert truly the bad guy?"

"He was after the good guy who helped people," the Pharoah raised an eyebrow. What was she getting at?

"He was after a thief who violated his parole," she corrected. "Is that evil?"

The Pharoah found himself shaking his head

"Jean Valjean did steal that bread, and then violated his parole. There was nothing legally wrong with Javert chasing him..." she fidgeted with a ring on her right hand as she talked. "But he let it consume him, and he lost any semblance of love, forgiveness, or mercy in the process. Jean Valjean, on the other hand, started as a villain, but gained all that Javert lost."

"A reversal?" He asked.

She nodded.

"But what about the lovers?"

"Marius lost everything," her eyes teared up. "Yes, he got to be with Cosette in the end, but what of Eponine and the soldiers who were brothers to him? Those things must still haunt him..."

"So...?" He asked, still unsure of her point.

"So there is more to the story than what is presented to us," she continued. "We have to think about these things... work through them... empathize with them."

The Pharaoh looked at her, confused, "You empathize?"

"Yes," she finally looked at him. "I put myself in their shoes... and then I change. I do my best to be better. To remember the consequences my choices may have..."

"So when we were fighting Dartz..."

"Yes."

"And that's why you were protective of Weevil and Rex?"

"Yes."

He sat back in thought. He'd never heard such strange philosophy, but something was ringing true. She didn't interrupt his thoughts as he stared, seemingly absorbed in her own. Finally, she stood up.

"We should head home, it's getting cold."

Pharaoh nodded and stood, walking beside her until they reached the Kaiba mansion. Nothing more was said, and he stood watching the lights go out in the house long after Kaylie had gone inside.

 _With her thoughts and ideas, good and bad don't seem so clear... How does she ever know what choice to make?_


	16. A Very Sudden Sleepover

"And this is my room," Kaylie pushed the door open with a sigh as Erika pushed past her and surveyed the painted walls, her eyebrows raising in surprise.

"Did you paint this?"

"Erm, yes?" Kaylie stepped into her bedroom and sat on the bed as Erika took it all in.

"This is incredible! I can't believe I'm here!"

"Me either," Kaylie muttered under her breath.

"You really should have invited me over sooner," Erika jumped on the bed next to her with a laugh. "So comfy!"

Kaylie stood up and glared down at Erika, with her arms folded, "I didn't invite you in the first place. You followed me home and tried to sneak in!"

"But you told the guards I was your friend so they'd let me in, so technically-"

"No!" Kaylie growled. "I didn't invite you in. We aren't even really friends. You are lucky I didn't let them cart you off to jail or something."

"Aw, is this about that time I tripped you?"

"That, among other things," Kaylie seethed.

"It was just a harmless prank..."

"I almost got fired!"

"But you didn't."

"Only because you didn't know Seto and I were related!"

"Speaking of Seto," Erika flipped on her stomach, her feet in the air behind her, like a school girl. "When does he come home?"

"If we're unlucky, he may come and sleep for a few hours before leaving again in the morning," Kaylie rolled her eyes.

"That poor man works too much! I bet he could really use a dinner brought to him or something..." Erika swung her feet around and hopped off the bed, then let out an excited gasp. "That's it! We'll make him dinner and deliver it, and then we can stop by my house and I can grab a change of clothes and-"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Kaylie held up her hands. "First of all, no! Second of all, a change of clothes?"

"For our sleepover!" Erika squealed, grabbing Kaylie's hands. "It'll be so fun! I've never had a real sleep over! I've never even had a real friend!"

"But I just said-"

"Which way is the kitchen? This way? Okay!" Erika took off, leaving Kaylie to curse and chase after her. Unfortunately, Erika didn't seem anything but at home the huge mansion. She made her way to the kitchen with ease, remembering it from the brief tour a very angry Kaylie had given her.

"What's going on?"

The blonde skid to a halt as Mokuba stepped out of his own room, looking down the hall towards Erika, who was still running.

"She's just a crazy person. It's fine. Totally fine!" Kaylie puffed.

"Who is she?"

"My crazy coworker!"

"The one who tripped you and spilled soda all over Seto?"

Kaylie nodded, "And I've got to catch her before she tries to whoo him with some sort of weird dinner."

"What?"

"I don't have time! Come on!" She grabbed Mokuba's hand and dragged him along until they reached the kitchen, where Erika was frantically throwing ingredients onto a counter.

"How'd she get in here?"

"Some idiot took pity on her like she was a stray kitten."

"You saved her from the guards, didn't you?"

"I thought it would help her hate me less. Now she thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread and won't leave!" Kaylie face palmed.

Bewd let out a small yowl of terror as Erika narrowly avoided stepping on the cat's tail, dropping more ingredients on the counter.

"Are you going to stop her?"

"How?" Kaylie looked at Mokuba with wide eyes. "She can't be stopped, Mokuba. She's like a tsunami. A very big tsunami with a really weird crush on your brother."

"Well, I guess you could just let her do whatever. It's not like she's gonna make it into KaibaCorp alone. She'll rush out with whatever she's made, they'll stop her from going in, and she'll have to go home. I'll tell the security here not to let her in again," Mokuba grinned up at her. "But why do I get the feeling you'd feel too guilty to do that?"

Kaylie groaned, putting her face in her hands, "She's never had any real friends..."

"Hey! You! With the black hair! Come help me!" Erika was furious whipping at something in a bowl, all the while trying to flip what looked like pancakes on the stove.

Mokuba looked at Kaylie and shrugged, "Better crazy about Seto than crazy and trying to murder you."

Kaylie sighed and nodded, rolling her sleeves up to help make the dinner. At least this way she wouldn't have to watch her back so much at work, and some of her stress would go away... Though she wasn't entirely convinced a new form of stress wouldn't take its place.

* * *

"So you like, helped save the world?" Erika applied the final coat of polish to her fingernails with a flourish, grinning like a kid.

"Yeah," Kaylie shrugged, brushing a clear coat on her toenails. "I guess you could say that."

"And that's how you met Yugi?"

"Yep."

"I still think clear is boring," Erika frowned at the bottle next to the blonde.

"I'd pick anything else off within a day," Kaylie explained. "Nervous habit."

"Why are you nervous?"

"What? No, not like-"

"How _are_ things going with Yugi?"

Kaylie ducked her head to hide a blush. Having never been to a sleepover before, Erika had insisted on doing all the usual sleepover things, including manicures and talking about boys.

"So?"

"They're uh- they're going," Kaylie mumbled.

"Oh no."

"What?"

"You poor thing," Erika cooed. "You're having a fight, aren't you?"

"What? No!" Kaylie protested. "It's just awkward to have people ask! I mean... It's... It's hard to remember sometimes that I'm dating Yugi..." Of course, she knew that she wasn't, but no one else would believe that she was actually interested in the 500 year old Pharaoh that inhabited Yugi's jewelry... And dating felt like too strong a term to assign to their unconventional relationship.

"Oh, I understand," Erika grinned. "Dating a celebrity must be so exhausting sometimes too. I mean, you can't go anywhere without being recognized and it would be hard to wrap your mind around why he chose you, of all people. I mean, no offense but you're-"

"What about you?" Kaylie asked quickly. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Wrong question. She immediately saw that look come into Erika's eyes. The same one that she got when she was making dinner for Kaiba. It was a look that was terrifying and full of scheming and horrors Kaylie couldn't possibly begin to imagine.

"Not yet," she smirked. "But soon he'll realize that I'm the only one for him. And then we'll be sisters!" She squealed and hugged Kaylie, choking off her airway in the process.

"Can't breathe!"

"Sorry," Erika let her go. "I just get so excited thinking about it. You'll have to be my maid of honor of course..."

"Sure. If that ever happens," the blonde grumbled. She was not going to survive much more of this craziness.

Finally Erika gathered up the fingernail polish and deposited it in one of her many bags she'd brought back to the house with her. They'd picked them up after dropping the dinner off for Kaiba. Luckily, he'd given orders that he was not to be disturbed, and Erika had to settle with trusting the secretary to take it to him.

"We watch a scary movie now," Erika said in a much more demanding tone, causing Kaylie to wince. "Until we're too scared and can't sleep, and then we stay up all night gorging ourselves on more sugar, telling all our deepest, darkest secrets. There are so many things I want to know about you."

"Can't wait," Kaylie gave a nervous laugh.

Luckily for the poor blonde, they weren't two minutes into the movie before Erika was snoring. It seemed her endless energy did wasn't quite so endless. Kaylie turned the movie off immediately and sank into her bed, thoughts of the night's events keeping her awake. Erika had adopted her as a friend. No, not just a friend, but a future sister.

"Life is so weird," Kaylie muttered to herself softly, turning over, and finally finding enough peace to slip into a dreamless sleep.


	17. The Turning Tide

"Thanks again for everything," Kaylie, the older one, shifted the backpack that was hanging from her right shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay another couple days?" Marik smiled at her genuinely. "It's been nice having you around. It isn't often we find Americans that speak Arabic."

"Lucky you that it's what I study at my university back home," she smiled back. "But if what your sister and Shadi have foreseen is true, I really need to get back to Japan and stop myself from ending this world."

"I wish you luck then. From what I've seen of you, it won't be easy." Marik waved farewell as Kaylie turned to enter the security line at the airport, waving back.

"It never is," she said with a sigh, under her breath. "Luckily, this isn't the first time I've saved this world from myself."

* * *

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, the younger counterpart woke with a start, breathing heavily in a cold sweat. Her dream had started out so nicely, only to end in pain, horror, and darkness.

She stood up to shake the dream off, exiting the room to get a drink from the kitchen when she heard the shuffling of someone else on the floor above her. She quickly ducked behind a large potted plant as footsteps descended the stairway.

 _Probably Kaiba up late again_.

She was surprised, however, when it was Mokuba who slipped down the stairs, dressed to sneak out. Curious, she stepped quietly behind him, the cool marble floor on her barefeet making it easy to stay alert and awake.

Sure enough, the raven haired teen headed for the front door, quietly slipping out into the night. Kaylie cursed, pulling on a pair of her shoes and grabbing a jacket from the closet. She quietly eased the door open, and upon seeing Mokuba quietly walking up the long driveway, stepped out into the crisp night air.

She followed him for a couple blocks at a safe distance. It was late enough that the streets were fairly empty. Only the occasional car would light the sidewalk, forcing her to hide in case her younger brother turned around.

When they finally reached a park, and Mokuba had settled on a bench, Kaylie took the time to text Yugi from her hiding place behind a bush. They weren't far from the gameshop, and being out here spying on her own was making her nervous. What if something happened and they needed backup?

Mokuba just stared straight ahead, not bothered by the cold in the least. Kaylie wondered if he'd just needed to come out here to clear his head and was about to reveal herself when she felt a hand land on her shoulder at the same time her mouth was covered.

Heart pounding, she moved to knock whoever it was in the stomach with her elbow, only to have it knock against the Millenium Puzzle and meet eyes with Yami. She bit back a scream, this time because of pain, and rubbed her elbow with a soft whimper as he gently let her go.

"Didn't want to give away our hiding place," he whispered.

She nodded, still wincing through the pain and blurred vision from tears that wanted so badly to escape. She hadn't hit her funny bone like that in a long time.

"Has he just been sitting there?"

She nodded again, peeking over the bush before turning to face the Egyptian, "Since I sent that text, yeah. I think he just needed to clear his head."

"Has he ever snuck out to do that before?"

"Not that I know of," she shook her head. "But I'm rarely awake this late at night, and it's a big house. He doesn't have to walk by my bedroom to get to the front door."

The Pharoah nodded, looking thoughtful, his eyes narrowed. He looked so stern when he did that, and Kaylie felt her heart start to race as she looked away. Was he annoyed that she'd woken him and Yugi? Did he think it was pathetic that she'd followed Mokuba all this way? What if he-

"You're afraid of the dark."

Kaylie looked up into his gentle violet eyes that were now trained on her. She looked down and realized she'd been clenching the grass with her hands, turning her knuckles white. The way he said it was like a statement, not a question. She nodded her head, whispering, "Or of what's in the dark. It's silly, I know."

She was surprised when he turned away from Mokuba and sat down next to her, placing a hand on hers, "Fear is natural. It's human. I don't think it's silly. It's smart to be worried about what you don't know, as long as it doesn't consume you."

He doesn't think I'm stupid, she realized with relief, then tensed immediately as a shadowy figure left the sidewalk ahead and began walking towards Mokuba.

"Someone is here," she hissed.

They peeked over the bush once more and watched as Mokuba jumped up and faced the stranger. She sensed Yami tense and prepare to jump in, but to their surprise, Mokuba laughed and threw his arms around whoever it was.

"I didn't know if you got my note!" He grinned and led whoever it was to the bench.

"I did," came a soft, feminine voice. "But getting out of the house is hard when you share a room."

"He snuck out to meet with... a girl?" Yami looked at her, confused. She shrugged, feeling equally as lost.

"Ha. My brother could be wide awake and I'd still be able to sneak out. His office is on the other side of the mansion," Mokuba looked up at the sky. "But he'd be mad if he found out."

"What about your sister?"

"Kaylie is a light sleeper, but she worked a double shift on top of going to school. She was out before it was even dark."

Kaylie frowned. She wasn't sure why Mokuba would want to keep this secret from her. It wasn't like she-

"I want to meet her soon," the girl leaned her head on Mokuba's shoulder. "But she would have been too tired to come, huh?"

"Yeah," Mokuba sighed. "Plus, I'd have to explain why we were sneaking out under my brother's nose. If he found out..."

"I wish he wasn't so protective."

"He has to be," Mokuba sighed. "Plus, he'd think I'm crazy for liking someone for love and not for some sort of financial gain."

"Does he really not believe in love?" the girl asked. A passing car revealed that she had curly red hair.

"I don't know," Mokuba reached up for his locket. "He loves me, and he loves Kaylie in his own way... but letting people in is hard for him."

"What if he splits us apart?"

"Seto wouldn't do that if he knew this made me happy. He'd just roll his eyes. I don't care what he thinks though."

"Then why are we still meeting in a secret?" she giggled.

"Because there's something magical about meeting under the stars."

Kaylie looked up, and for the first time, noticed how dark the city was in this part of town, and how bright the stars were. She caught her breath as a shooting star swept across the sky, causing the mystery girl to squeal in delight.

"He's right about the magic," Suddenly Kaylie was very aware of how close the Pharaoh was as he whispered in her ear, gazing at the night sky.

"I didn't realize how easy it was to see stars here," she breathed, trying to force her heart to calm down. She hadn't felt like this in such a long time. Where was it coming from? The butterflies were returning.

 _You stopped worrying about whether this was the right choice. After she visited, you were able to move forward..._

She felt him wrap his arms around her, suddenly realizing that she was shaking in the cold. He was so warm, she could just melt right there. Her nightmare from earlier seemed so far away, and she was suddenly very tired. The idea of staying there all night...

"Now that we know he isn't in any danger, maybe we should get you back home? Sounds like you should be sleeping after all that work today..." The Pharaoh gently helped her to her feet, and she let out a mental sigh as he stealthily slipped away from their hiding spot and back towards the road.

Kaylie watched a minute longer as Mokuba brushed a piece of hair from the ginger girl's face and they continued to giggle, unaware of their audience. Finally, she turned to join the Pharaoh, feeling dizzy and lightheaded with the silly romantic air.

They walked for a bit, until they came to the corner she knew they'd have to part at. She prepared to turn and thank him for coming again when he slipped his hand into hers and nudged her towards the Kaiba mansion.

"I'll walk you home."

"Thanks," she said softly, her hand tingling. "You probably need sleep too though..."

"I don't want to leave you alone to face your fears," he smiled at her, and in an instant, she felt guilty. Her fear had held her back for so long. Her fear that what she'd felt when fighting Dartz was fleeting. Her fear that she should have returned home. Her fear that, despite his promises to rewrite his story, he would eventually leave.

 _He is a dead guy,_ she reminded herself.

"I'm sorry," she stared ahead, fighting back tears. "Sometimes I just feel like I have to shoulder it all in my own..."

He nodded, looking forward as well, "I know the feeling."

She looked at him, heart pounding. Of course he did. He was a spirit bound to protect the world. One that was thousands of years old. Why hadn't she ever seen it before? It made sense that he would feel just as lonely as her...

"Is that why?" she swallowed the knot in her throat. "Is that why we were drawn to each other?"

"You understand me in a way no one can," he nodded. "Your tendency to push people away and want to be the one who carries the burden... it doesn't bother me because... I know why you do it. But just like me, you don't have to do it alone."

Kaylie allowed silence to fill the empty space between their footsteps. She didn't know how to respond, but it seemed they were both content to ponder in the quiet. Finally, as they approached the mansion, the Pharaoh pulled her closer, hugging her.

"We are going to make this work. I don't understand why, but something keeps telling me not to let you go. We can rewrite the story..."

"I wish I were as confident," she mumbled, feeling a mix of butterflies and gnawing emptiness in the pit of her stomach. She shoved both aside and looked up into his eyes, "Just promise that no matter what happens, I get to be part of it."

"Always," he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "And you do likewise."

She nodded, "No more fear."

"No more fear. Not alone, at least."

They hugged good night one last time, and he let her go into the mansion. He never kissed her. Not since the first time. She had the feeling that it frightened him as much as it did her, given the experience he had the last time. What if he saw a new future? What if it wasn't what they wanted?

She quickly ran up the stairs and into her room, slipping back outside onto her balcony as he retreated back towards the road. He always waited until he knew she was safe inside to leave. It made her heart jump just thinking about it. She looked up at the stars, not near as bright as they had been at the park, before turning in for the night. She had just finished laying her jacket across her desk chair when a voice startled her out of her thoughts.

"Staying out a little late, aren't we?"

She whirled around and came face to face with herself. At first she mistook it for her reflection in a mirror, but she didn't keep a mirror in her bedroom, aside from the one in her desk.

"I thought you went home?" She was confused by the sudden appearance of her older self. Last time there'd been a flash of light...

"Yeah, about that..." her 'reflection' sighed. "Shadi refused to take me back."

"What!?"

"He wanted to make sure things had changed. He dumped me off in some tomb bunker thing out in the Egyptian desert."

"How'd you get here then?" The younger girl frowned.

"I escaped. Ran into some friends. We studied- Well... I studied Arabic in college, so communicating with the locals was easy. Shadi probably didn't expect that."

"I- You speak Arabic? Fluently?"

Her counterpart nodded, "Much more than what we learned in high school. I actually spent a semester abroad in the Middle East, so it wasn't anything new. I hopped a flight here after that, and... well... the security system on the house registers your fingerprints, and since I'm you-"

"But why are you here now?"

"Because we need to talk."

"I've been trying to do what you said. Do what I feel is right."

"Yeah..." the older girl frowned. "I only said that because it sounded mysterious and wise..."

"But-"

"Look kid, I saw what Shadi was so worried about, and it isn't pretty."

"I'm not a kid!" Came the indignant response.

"We call everyone kid, you know that," the intruder rolled her eyes.

"What do you want then?"

The older girl was silent for a moment. Finally, she sat on the bed and looked down at her hands, "I just want to go home."

"Shadi won't take you until you change my mind?" The younger girl turned away, watching herself, her older self, in the mirror on the desk. "I'm not going to."

A moment of silence went by, and then, "Do you remember when we were little, and we'd stay up all night talking to our sister?"

Kaylie could almost see the reflection of two little girls on the bed next to the unwanted guest, giggling and playing with each other quietly, "Yes."

"She had a baby, you know. I'm an aunt."

"So what!?" She turned suddenly, angrily. "I gave all that up. You don't need to rub the loss in."

"But I didn't."

The words stung more than she'd have cared to admit. For so long she had wondered what she was missing out on by staying here, and to know that the happiness she'd felt with the Pharaoh, that it was possible if she'd left too... it didn't help.

"I can't give up everything I have," she whispered, turning to face her older self. "You have no idea what it does, how I feel, when I think about losing him."

Her older self clearly disagreed by the look on her face, but she didn't say anything to indicate it. Instead, she stood up, making her way towards the door, "I just thought it might help to remind you of the cost of our actions."

"Well it doesn't!"

"I don't want you to hurt. You are me, after all."

"I am not you," she growled, anger bubbling over. "Now get out. Get out of my room. Get out of my house. Get out of my life."

The older girl looked at her with intense pity and turned to leave the room, but not before whispering, "I would love nothing more than to leave you to your life and return to mine, but I don't get that choice." She was gone before the younger girl could muster a response.

Kaylie sat at her desk, stunned by the turn of events. She had been so joyful earlier; finally, truly at home. Now it was being stolen from her once again. She felt the darkness creeping in on her heart, and as she numbly slipped into bed again, she couldn't help but wonder...

Would she ever truly find happiness here?


End file.
